Southern District of Ohio
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Columbus Man Sentenced for Providing Material Support to Terrorists, Making False Statements to AuthoritiesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Abdirahman Sheik Mohamud, 26, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 264 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for training with terrorists overseas and leading a terrorist plot.
A federal grand jury charged Mohamud in April 2015 with one count of attempting to provide and providing material support to terrorists, one count of attempting to provide and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization – namely, al-Nusrah Front – and one count of making false statements to the FBI involving international terrorism. He pleaded guilty to those charges in August 2015. The plea was sealed until June 2017 because of an ongoing investigation.
Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente, Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien and the FBI’s Columbus Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H Watson.
According to court documents, Mohamud is a Somali-born naturalized citizen of the United States who, in 2014, obtained a U.S. passport and one-way ticket to Greece. During his travel in April 2014, Mohamud did not board his connecting flight to Athens, Greece; rather, during his layover in Istanbul, Turkey, he completed pre-arranged plans to cross the border into Syria. In Syria, Mohamud received training from al-Nusrah Front, a terrorist organization affiliated with al-Qaeda.
According to a statement of facts supporting Mohamud’s guilty plea, while in Syria, Mohamud trained with al-Nusrah Front on fitness, and on the use of weapons and tactics. Mohamud also engaged in a firefight and expressed his desire to die fighting in Syria.
Mohamud returned to the United States after his brother was killed fighting for al-Nusrah Front.
The statement of facts details that after returning to the United States, Mohamud planned to obtain weapons in order to kill military officers, other government employees or people in uniform. Evidence seized by the FBI indicates that Mohamud researched places in the U.S. to carry out such plans.
“Mohamud traveled to Syria to train and fight with the designated terrorist organization al-Nusrah Front. He then returned to the United States with the intent to conduct an attack here,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Boente. “Thanks to the tremendous efforts of law enforcement, Mohamud was arrested and his plans were thwarted. One of the National Security Division’s highest priorities remains identifying and neutralizing the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters who return to the United States.”
“Mohamud engaged in terrorist activity overseas, which included training and fighting with the Al-Nusrah Front, a designated foreign terrorist organization,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “He then returned to the United States with a plan to do grievous harm, recruited others to help him in his homeland plot, and then planned and prepared for attacks in the United States. Once caught, he orchestrated a cover-up beginning with his material misstatements to the FBI. The seriousness of his actions cannot be overstated. Protecting our national security requires constant vigilance – every day, regardless of whatever else is happening. I commend the diligence of the national security and law enforcement professionals who have brought this case to conclusion today.”
“Mohamud was originally arrested and indicted in state court by my office and a $2 million bond was set that maintained him in custody. Those state charges were dismissed when the federal prosecution commenced and an assistant prosecutor was added to the federal team as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney,” O’Brien said “This case illustrates the effectiveness of the cooperative effort in the Columbus area to combat terrorism.”
“HSI will seek a civil denaturalization of Mohamud and eventual deportation to his country of origin, Somalia,” said the HSI Resident Agent in Charge Nathan Emery.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Boente and U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation of the FBI’s JTTF with numerous local partners, and Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas Squires, Jessica H. Kim and Salvador Dominguez and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Gibson, as well as Trial Attorneys Bridget Behling and Lolita Lukose of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, who are prosecuting the case.
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Leader of Las Vegas to Columbus Marijuana Ring SentencedRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Adrian A. Douglas, 48, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 144 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Douglas led a Central Ohio marijuana trafficking ring that involved receiving UPS shipments of the drug from Las Vegas and mailing cash back to the supplier. He pleaded guilty to the two charges in June 2017.
Douglas’s son, Justin A. Douglas, 28, as well as Joshua N. Barron, 28, previously pleaded guilty to the same two charges. Justin Douglas was sentenced to 48 months in prison and Barron is scheduled for sentencing on January 30.
Raymond Tillman, 42, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and was sentenced to 60 months in prison. All three men are also Columbus residents.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs and other members of the Ohio Organized Crime Commission’s Central Ohio Drug Enforcement task force announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H Watson.
The Statement of Facts in this case details that between November 2015 and December 2016, investigators documented 264 packages sent via UPS from Las Vegas to Columbus. Those packages contained a total of more than 3,000 kilograms of marijuana.
Once co-conspirators distributed the marijuana in Central Ohio, they mailed cash back to the source of supply in Las Vegas. Investigators documented 41 packages shipped from Columbus to Las Vegas during the same timeframe.
For example, on December 7, 2016, an 18-pound package was shipped via UPS from Columbus to Las Vegas but was interdicted in Kentucky by law enforcement. The package contained more than $199,000 in cash.
On December 21, 2016, a series of search warrants were conducted at locations associated with the drug ring and turned up more than $331,000 in cash at Justin Douglas’s residence on Scioto Chase Blvd. An Additional $27,000 in cash was found at the residence of Adrian Douglas and more than $58,000 was seized from Raymond Tillman during a traffic stop.
All four defendants were indicted in February.
As part of the federal sentencing guidelines, which are advisory and not binding on the court, both the offense level and the criminal history of the defendant were taken into account. There are six criminal history categories, with category six including the most significant past criminal conduct. Douglas’s criminal history was classified as a category five.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the IRS Criminal Investigation, DEA and Columbus Police, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Kevin W. Kelley, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Inmate Pleads Guilty to Mailing Threats, Powder to Federal OfficialsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Rodney D. Cydrus, 48, formerly of Chillicothe, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to mailing threatening communications. Cydrus was an inmate at Lebanon Correctional Institution at the time of this offense.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and Yvonne DiCristoforo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, announced the plea entered into today before U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett.
According to court documents, on five separate occasions in January 2017, Cydrus mailed letters threatening to injure numerous government officials, including the President of the United States, federal judges, the FBI and the Federal Public Defender’s Office. Four of the letters were addressed to the FBI and one letter was addressed to the Federal Public Defender’s Office.
As part of the threat, Cydrus included a powdered substance (namely his own medication) in the letter to the Federal Public Defender’s Office on January 17, 2017.
Cydrus was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2017.
Mailing threatening communications is a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and U.S. Secret Service, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan, who is prosecuting the case.
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Former Dublin High School Teacher Sentenced to 262 Months in Prison for Making Child Porn via Photos, Videos of Former StudentsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Gregory R. Lee, 53, of Columbus, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 262 months in prison and 20 years of supervised release and a $10,000 fine for production of child pornography.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien, Westerville Police Chief Joseph Morbitzer, Dublin Police Chief Heinz von Eckartsberg and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
According to the Statement of Facts in this case, the parents of a teenage female contacted Dublin Police in May 2017 after discovering information in the teenager’s personal journal regarding sexual activity with Lee, who had been her high school teacher at Dublin Scioto High School.
While being interviewed by law enforcement, the victim admitted that she and Lee engaged in oral sex on numerous occasions in Lee’s classroom and in his vehicle beginning when she was 15 years old. She said Lee also instructed her to create and exchange nude photographs through her phone.
A forensic examination of Lee’s electronic devices uncovered approximately 234 images of the victim, at least 49 of which depicted the minor in various stages of nudity. The victim confirmed that Lee had taken some of the nude pictures of her that were found on his devices.
The forensic examination also revealed nude images of another female that was believed to be a former student of Lee’s. The former student confirmed that she took the photographs with her cell phone when she was 17 years old and sent them to Lee.
“This offense involves a significant violation of the trust placed in Lee as a teacher,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “He engaged in a sexual relationship with a student who was more than 30 years his junior. She was a child, and it was his duty as the adult to prevent any inappropriate interactions with his students. He failed that duty miserably, and his sentence today reflects the seriousness of his crime.”
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, Dublin Police and Task Force Officers, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Heather A. Hill and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Rausch, Director, Franklin County Special Victim’s Unit, who are representing the United States in this case.
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Columbus Man Pleads Guilty to Creating Child Pornography of Toddler & Young GirlRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jordan L. Price, 28, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to production of child pornography.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien and other members of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the plea entered into before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
According to the Statement of Facts in this case, in July 2017, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received two reports from Google regarding an email account that had been used to send numerous child pornography files.
A search warrant of the Gmail account revealed the email belonged to Price. Further investigation of Price revealed pornographic pictures of a toddler and a prepubescent female that he had taken on his cell phone.
In addition to the pornography that Price produced, he was also found to possess more than 200 child pornography files, including depictions of the rape of toddlers, in his Dropbox account.
As part of his plea agreement, all parties involved have recommended a term of incarceration between 278 and 322 months in prison. That sentencing recommendation will be considered by Judge Watson at a future hearing.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office as well as Assistant United States Attorney Heather A. Hill and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Rausch, Director, Franklin County Special Victim’s Unit, who are representing the United States in this case.
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Sister Convicted of Retaliating Against Witness in Brothers' TrialRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Joy McShan Edwards, 37, of Steubenville, was convicted in U.S. District Court today of retaliation against a witness.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Marshal Pete Tobin announced the verdict, which was reached today by Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr, after a one-day bench trial on December 11, 2017.
Edwards’s two brothers, Fred McShan and David McShan, were convicted at a federal jury trial in March 2016 of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin in the Southern District of Ohio.
During the trial, Deputy U.S. Marshals had to escort multiple family members and friends of the McShan brothers out of the courtroom for violating the Federal Court’s cell phone policy. The family and friends had been attempting to photograph and video record witnesses in the case.
After the first day of trial, a Social Media post to Snapchat was posted by a family member, which revealed a comment about a government witness and a short video of the confidential informant’s testimony.
On May 11, the United States Probation Department released its pre-sentence investigation report and recommended sentences for Fred and David McShan. On that same day, authorities discovered Edwards made a post on her Facebook page about the confidential informant. The post included photos of the witness cropped onto a body and comments that the confidential informant was a “snitch.”
Edwards continued posting multiple images of the witness cropped onto other photographs, including images of rats and skulls.
According to the victim, the retaliation via social media has severely impacted his life and the safety of himself and his family.
“We take very seriously the safety and security of government witnesses,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “Those who retaliate against government witnesses will be identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Today’s verdict is an example.”
Retaliating against a witness, victim or an informant is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Edwards was charged by criminal complaint and arrested in June. She was indicted by a federal grand jury in August.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the DEA and the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as Deputy Criminal Chief Michael J. Hunter and Jefferson County Prosecutor and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jane M. Hanlin, who are representing the United States in this case.
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Former P&G Employee Sentenced for Defrauding CompanyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Susan M. Ruhe, 54, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 21 months in prison and four years of supervised release for one count of bank fraud. Ruhe defrauded her former employer, Procter & Gamble, of more than $454,000.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Yvonne DiCristoforo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black.
According to the Statement of Facts in this case, Ruhe was employed by Procter & Gamble, the multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Cincinnati, from July 1989 through June 2013. Her last job title was Executive Assistant in the Global Beauty Care Business Development Group. In that capacity, her primary job duties were executive travel planning, expense reporting, calendar management and the scheduling of team meetings and events.
From November 2007 through the end of her employment, Ruhe defrauded the company by requesting that the payment department issue corporate checks to be used to pay for expenses that Procter & Gamble had incurred in the ordinary course of business. In reality, she used the corporate checks to make payments on her personal credit card accounts. Both accounts were through Citibank.
To conceal her scheme, Ruhe used the email of an executive without consent to approve her requests for corporate checks. She would then designate an unwitting third party from whom she would retrieve the checks in accordance with company policy. In total, she obtained 40 fraudulent corporate checks through this scheme.
Ruhe pleaded guilty in June 2017, and as part of the plea agreement, agreed to pay $454,116.47 in restitution to Procter & Gamble.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the U.S. Secret Service and Assistant United States Attorney Deborah D. Grimes, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Two Pharmacy Robbery Defendants SentencedRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Two Indianapolis men were sentenced today in U.S. District Court for conspiring to rob a Middletown pharmacy of morphine and oxycodone on April 29, 2017 for the purpose of selling the drugs on the street.
Eric Lamont Bates, 20, was sentenced to 96 months in prison and Yasar Jamal Burnett, 18, was sentenced to 72 months in prison. Each had pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the robbery and possessing with the intent to distribute morphine and oxycodone.
Bates and Burnett are two of 11 total defendants in three current federal pharmacy robbery indictments in Dayton.
Benjamin C. Glassman, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division and Middletown Police Chief Rodney Muterspaw announced the sentences handed down today by U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.
In May 2017, a federal grand jury returned indictments charging individuals with robbing two Middletown pharmacies and stealing prescription drugs including morphine, oxycodone and hydrocodone for the purpose of selling the drugs on the street.
The grand jury charged two Dayton men, Calvin Cavonte Tribble and Savon Anthony Davis, with attempted robbery of a pharmacy in Middletown on April 18, 2017 and robbing the pharmacy on April 19.
In a separate indictment, the grand jury charged Bates and Burnett.
In July, a 10-count superseding indictment added six defendants who also allegedly conspired to rob pharmacies between March and June 2017 in Fairfield, Middletown, Franklin, Hamilton, Westerville, Trotwood, Dayton, Oakwood, Kettering, Beavercreek, Moraine, Vandalia, Union Township and Cincinnati.
It was part of the alleged conspiracy that defendants would approach the pharmacy counter at CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid and Best Pharmacy locations as if to turn in a prescription to be filled. In actuality, the slip of paper included a note that this was an armed robbery and the pharmacist would be harmed if they did not comply. The note demanded pharmacy employees to fill two bags with a list of controlled substances identified by name, amount and prescription dosage.
Those charged in the superseding indictment include Martez Henderson, Tiwonne Montgomery, Kenneth Evans, Jr., Brandon Freeman, David Harris and Jamar Warren.
In September, Jamie Deandre Williams was charged in a five-count indictment for allegedly robbing CVS pharmacies in Beavercreek, Sidney, Moraine, Cincinnati and Dayton between February and June 2017.
“This offense was an attempt by Bates and Burnett to make quick money,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “The defendants were in and out of the Rite Aid Pharmacy in less than five minutes. During the course of those few minutes, though, they used physical force and fear to ensure compliance from their victims, manhandling three female employees of the store to obtain narcotics that they could sell on the street. I hope the sentences they received today serve as a warning to others that the quick cash isn’t worth it. Offenders will be caught. They will be prosecuted. And they will be punished.”
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation of this case by the Middletown Police and the FBI, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy M. Smith and Brent Tabacchi, who are representing the United States in the case.
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Former VA Chief of Staff Convicted of Distributing Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Barbara K. Temeck, 67, of Cincinnati, was convicted in U.S. District Court today of one count of distributing a controlled substance.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Gavin McClaren, Resident Agent in Charge, Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Criminal Investigations Division (VA-OIG), announced the verdict reached today following a jury trial before U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett.
A federal grand jury indicted Temeck in May 2017. According to the court documents and testimony, she illegally dispensed Diazepam on November 2, 2013.
Temeck served as the Chief of Staff at the VA Medical Center in Cincinnati.
Distribution of a controlled substance is a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison for Schedule IV drugs such as Diazepam.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the VA-OIG, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle J. Healey and Timothy D. Oakley, who are representing the United States in this case.
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Columbus Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking Local Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – William E. Young, 54, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to one count of cyberstalking.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the plea offered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King.
According to court documents, Young was arrested in October 1999 for menacing by stalking a female in Delaware County, Ohio. He has continuously harassed and stalked one of his arresting officers since the time of his arrest and conviction.
The Statement of Facts filed in support of the plea agreement details that Young engaged in a course of conduct with the intent to harass and intimidate the victim and the victim’s spouse.
Young created webpages using the victim’s name in order to make derogatory statements about the victim and his official position.
He mailed letters on numerous occasions to the victim’s wife and family, neighbors, physician, barber, church and church pastor and pastor’s wife, as well as to Ohio Wesleyan College, Delaware City Hall, the Delaware Chamber of Commerce, the Delaware City Mayor, Delaware City Council members, the Delaware Police Department, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, the Delaware County Jail, the Arapahoe County Prosecutor’s Office and other local community businesses.
One such letter included the victim’s face superimposed on the bodies of cartoon characters and stated “Even worse, a gay wimp who wants to hide behind a gun and badge because he’s a little pussy. I’m gonna kick your ‘puny’ ass!...When judgement day comes for you make sure they pack an air conditioner in your coffin. You’ll need it.”
A 62-page letter mailed in September 2015 to the victim’s spouse stated: “I’ll force his hand if the powers that be make the mistake of coming after me again. Then I’ll take everyone down who had a hand in what was done to me one by one.”
As part of his effort to harass and intimidate, Young has filed multiple state and federal civil lawsuits against the victim and another arresting officer from Young’s 1999 arrest, and the Delaware Police Department, alleging various claims of corruption and fraud.
Young was indicted by a federal grand jury in August.
Cyberstalking is a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, and Assistant United States Attorney Jessica H. Kim, who is prosecuting the case.
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Cincinnati Man Sentenced for Stealing Veteran's Identity to Get Care at VA Medical CenterRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Adam Keith Charles, 37, of Cincinnati was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 14 months in prison for stealing the identity of a U.S. Military veteran and using it to obtain more than $20,000 in medical services at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Gavin McClaren, Resident Agent in Charge, Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Criminal Investigations Division (VA-OIG), announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott.
According to court documents, in August 2016, Charles went to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Cincinnati for medical treatment knowing he had never served in the armed forces and therefore is not eligible for its health care benefits.
Charles falsely identified himself as his half-brother, who is a veteran, in order to obtain care. He did this on a number of occasions on an outpatient basis, incurring $1,700 to approximately $4,000 in care each time. In September 2016, he was admitted for nearly $10,800 worth of inpatient care and was given an identification wristband with the photo of another individual, presumably the half-brother, on it.
Charles pleaded guilty in July to one count of making a false statement and has remained in custody since.
He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $20,287.11 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the VA-OIG, as well as Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Defendant Who Live-Streamed Standoff with Police on Facebook Sentenced for Possessing Fentanyl, FirearmRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Daniel E. Jones, 29, of Harrison Township, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 144 months in prison for possessing fentanyl and a firearm.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer and other members of the FBI’s Southern Ohio Safe Streets Task Force and the Regional Agency Narcotics Gun Enforcement (RANGE) Task Force announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose.
According to court documents, on March 31, 2016, Jones engaged in an hours-long standoff with federal and local authorities at an apartment complex in Montgomery County, refusing to allow police access to his residence, because he had fentanyl in his apartment that he intended to sell in the Dayton area.
As the standoff continued, he attempted to burn the drugs. Officers noticed smoke and flames inside of the apartment. An investigator on scene accessed Jones’s Facebook page and discovered that Jones was posting a live video feed of himself with footage of an active fire inside of the shower in a bathroom of the apartment.
Jones stated “No evidence on me buddy” after recording the active fire in the shower. He also flashed bundles of cash and referred to himself as “El Chapo Jr.” during the video.
Ultimately, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Regional SWAT Team officers and federal agents gained access to the apartment, arrested Jones and recovered a firearm as well as the remnants of the burnt fentanyl.
Upon arresting Jones, officers found more than $3,000 in cash on Jones and more than $100,000 cash throughout the apartment.
Jones was charged by a federal criminal complaint in March 2016 and indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2016. He pleaded guilty in April 2017 to one count of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the FBI and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Brent G. Tabacchi, who is representing the United States in this case.
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4 More Members and Associates of MS-13 Charged in Superseding Indictment; Obstruction, Drug & Other Charges AddedRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Four additional individuals alleged to be members and associates of MS-13 have been charged by a federal grand jury in a superseding indictment returned here Dec. 14 and unsealed today.
The new indictment also includes eight additional charges, including in part: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, alien in possession of firearms and/or ammunition, obstruction of justice, destruction or removal of property to prevent seizure and illegal reentry of a previously removed alien.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Rebecca Adducci, Detroit Field Office Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations, Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs announced the new charges.
The four additional defendants are:
Name
Also Known As
Age
City
*Jose Daniel Gonzalez-Campos
Flaco
27
Fugitive – whereabouts unknown
Daniel Alexander Diaz-Romero
Manchas
23
Deported
Denis Donaldo Fuentes-Avila
18
Columbus, Ohio
Carolina Garcia-Miranda
Mamayema
29
Columbus, Ohio
In July, a federal grand jury charged 10 individuals with conspiracy to commit extortion, conspiracy to commit money laundering and use of a firearm during a crime of violence.
Five other individuals were arrested and charged in criminal complaints this summer with federal immigration-related crimes. Since that time, another four individuals have been arrested and charged by criminal complaint with federal immigration-related crimes.
MS-13, formally La Mara Salvatrucha, is a multi-national criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The organization’s leadership is based in El Salvador, where many of the gang’s high-ranking members are imprisoned.
In 2012, the United States government designated MS-13 as a “transnational criminal organization.” It is the first and only street gang to receive that designation. MS-13 has become one of the largest and most violent criminal organizations in the United States, with more than 10,000 members and associates operating in at least 40 states, including Ohio.
In Ohio and elsewhere in the United States, MS-13 is organized into “cliques,” which are smaller groups of MS-13 members and associates acting under the larger mantle of the organization and operating in a specific region, city or part of a city.
The 11-count superseding indictment alleges that defendants – members and associates of the MS-13 – conspired to commit extortion through the use of threatened or actual force, violence or fear to intimidate their victims into paying money to the defendants and their co-conspirators. Many of the proceeds were sent, usually by wire transfer and often through intermediaries, to MS-13 members and associates in El Salvador and elsewhere. The money was then used to promote and facilitate the criminal activities of MS-13 in El Salvador and the United States.
As part of the alleged conspiracy, the defendants and their co-conspirators unlawfully obtained extortion and drug trafficking proceeds to be used to, among other things, buy items that MS-13 uses to engage in criminal activity, such as cell phones, narcotics and weapons; provide financial support and information to MS-13 members, including those incarcerated in El Salvador and the United States, as well as those who have been deported; and aid families of deceased MS-13 members.
The superseding indictment also alleges that various defendants conspired to possess cocaine and marijuana with the intent of distributing the drugs.
Jose Martin Aguilar-Rivera, an illegal alien, allegedly possessed ammunition. Juan Jimenez-Monufar, also an illegal alien, allegedly possessed multiple firearms.
On August 26, according to the superseding indictment, Isaias Alvarado attempted to obstruct justice and prevent the lawful seizure of evidence by directing another individual to dispose of a firearm.
The 10 defendants also charged in the original indictment are:
Name
Also Known As
Age
City
Jose Martin Neftali Aguilar-Rivera
Momia, Pelon
32
Columbus, Ohio/ Indianapolis, Ind.
Pedro Alfonso Osorio-Flores
Smokey
38
Columbus, Ohio
Juan Jose Jiminez-Montufar
Chele Trece
34
Columbus, Ohio
Isaias Alvarado
Cabo
44
Columbus, Ohio
Cruz Alberto-Arbarngas
Cruzito
30
Columbus, Ohio
Jose Manuel Romero-Parada
Russo
23
Indianapolis, Ind.
Jose Salinas-Enriquez
Martillo
32
Dayton, Ohio
Jorge Cazares
Veneno
37
Columbus, Ohio
Jose Ramiro Aparicio-Olivares
Flaco
42
Columbus, Ohio
*Nelson Alexander Flores
Mula
46
Fugitive – whereabouts unknown
The crimes charged in the superseding indictment and each crime’s potential maximum sentence include:
Crime
Potential Maximum Sentence
Conspiracy to commit extortion
20 years in prison
Conspiracy to commit money laundering
20 years in prison
Brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence
At least 7 years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
20 years in prison
Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances
20 years in prison
Alien in possession of firearm or ammunition
10 years in prison
Obstruction of justice
20 years in prison
Destruction or removal of property to prevent seizure
5 years in prison
Illegal reentry of a removed alien
2 years in prison
“The defendants and charges added in the indictment unsealed today illustrate our continued dedication to eradicating MS-13’s presence from our communities in the Southern District of Ohio,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “This investigation is ongoing.”
“This is a great example of law enforcement and the community working together to make neighborhoods safe," stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Angela Byers. "We urge any additional victims of MS-13 to contact the FBI so we can provide assistance and continue these important efforts.”
“ICE will continue to be relentless in our efforts to rid the community of MS-13 members and the related criminal activity that comes with gang activity,” said Rebecca Adducci, field office director for ERO Detroit, which covers Michigan and Ohio. “Working together with our law enforcement partners, ICE will use its unique authorities to arrest MS-13 members who are subject to removal from the United States.”
If you are a victim of the alleged crimes, or have additional information about MS-13, please call the FBI hotline at 614-849-1765. Callers can remain anonymous.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, ICE, Columbus Division of Police and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the assistance of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Brian J. Martinez and Jessica H. Kim, who are prosecuting the case.
An indictment, superseding indictment or criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 252 Months in Prison for New Child Porn CrimeRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Jason Alexander Bigler, 46, of Dayton, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 252 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for knowingly distributing child pornography of children under the age of 12. Bigler is a registered sex offender because of a prior federal conviction of possessing child pornography.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force announced the sentence handed down by Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose.
According to the statement of facts attached to the plea agreement, which was entered into in September, Bigler distributed, received, transported and possessed more than 2,150 images and 215 videos of child pornography. The images and videos showed adult males raping and abusing pre-pubescent and infant females.
Bigler used Kik and Omegle messenger applications to meet and communicate with the individuals with whom he traded child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and Assistant United States Attorney Dwight K. Keller, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Air Force Reservist Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for RapeRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Kyle Jordan, 31, of Franklin, Ohio was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 72 months in prison for one count of sexual abuse.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Lt. Col. Randal Pendleton, Commander, Air Force Office of Special Investigations 10th Field Investigations Squandron, and Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), announced the sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.
According to the signed Statement of Facts attached to the plea agreement, in December 2015, Jordan sexually assaulted an unconscious woman while staying at a Temporary Lodging Facility located on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Jordan raped the victim in a bedroom after they both consumed alcohol.
Jordan pleaded guilty to the sexual abuse count in January.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the Air Force OSI and FBI, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew J. Hunt, and Amy M. Smith, who are representing the United States in this case.
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Lockland Company Sentenced for Failing to Report Large Cash Transactions, Trucking Safety ViolationsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Enson Trading LLC, which does business as Eternal Food Service, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for failing to file required IRS forms for cash transactions exceeding $10,000, and for violating Federal Motor Carrier Safety regulations.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, Thomas J. Ullom, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, and Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black.
According to the Statement of Facts in this case, Enson is a Lockland-based wholesale food storage facility and distributor to primarily Asian restaurants in Ohio and nine other states, and many of the company’s customers pay in cash.
Between October 2010 and June 2012, the company failed to file a federal Form 8300 for 41 cash transactions totaling more than half a million dollars. Federal laws and regulations require every person engaged in a nonfinancial trade or business that receives cash in excess of $10,000 to file the form within 15 days of receipt of the cash.
The company also conspired to continue operation after receiving an out-of-service order from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
In June 2010, FMCSA conducted a compliance review of the trucks the company used to distribute its products in Ohio and out of state and issued the company an unsatisfactory safety rating based upon critical violations of several regulations. FMCSA gave the company 60 days to address the violations or they would receive an out-of-service order.
Eight days before the company’s trucking operations were to be put out of service, the company registered and incorporated under a different name. The company did that five more times between 2010 and 2014, using the names Heng Hua, National Trucking, Eternal Trading Corporation, Aspiron and FC Logistics.
As part of its sentence, the company has been ordered to pay a $525,000 fine and forfeit $215,012.55. In July, Enson Trading, LLC manager Qing Xia Zheng entered a guilty plea on behalf of the company, which was also ordered to serve three years of probation.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and the FBI, as well as District Criminal Chief Kenneth L. Parker, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Shelby County Man Sentenced for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Robert Phelps, 49, of Jackson Center, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 36 months in prison for possessing child pornography.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force announced the sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.
Phelps was one of three defendants convicted in the Southern District of Ohio as the result of a national FBI investigation, “Operation Pacifier,” which involved the takedown of a “dark web” site dedicated to child pornography. Using a court-approved Network Investigative Technique to pierce through the anonymity provided by the Tor network, agents uncovered IP addresses and other information that helped locate and identify users. Investigators sent more than 1,000 leads to FBI field offices in every state in the country and thousands more to oversees partners.
As a result of the investigation, at least 350 U.S.-based individuals have been arrested, 25 producers of child pornography have been prosecuted, 51 alleged hands-on abusers have been prosecuted and 55 American children who were subjected to sexual abuse have been successfully identified or rescued.
According to court documents in this case, when federal agents executed a search warrant in July at Phelps’s home, on just one computer they discovered more than 6,300 images and 590 videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. A separate hard drive contained an additional 255,000 images and 120 videos.
Phelps pleaded guilty in April to one count of possessing child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation by the FBI, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Amy M. Smith and Andrew J. Hunt, who are representing the United States in this case.
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U.S. Attorney Glassman Awards Outstanding Performance Recognitions to District EmployeesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman recognized nine employees of the Southern District of Ohio in four categories for their distinguished public service in his second annual United States Attorney’s Awards in Outstanding Performance.
Outstanding Performance in Legal Support – Leah A. Gezinski
Ms. Gezinski’s support has enabled the Dayton office to successfully investigate and charge those trafficking heroin, fentanyl and other opioids.
“Ms. Gezinski has been invaluable in supporting some of the most labor-intensive investigations, particularly involving wiretaps,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “She worked tirelessly, and often at late or early hours, to ensure the success of wires that have been instrumental in charging and convicting opioid traffickers.”
Outstanding Performance by an Assistant United States Attorney – Heather A. Hill
Ms. Hill led three jury trials in the first four months of 2017 that arose from separate child-exploitation investigations.
In January, Thomas A. Sweeney was convicted of all counts, including production of child pornography, attempted coercion/enticement of a minor, receipt of child pornography and commission of a sex offense while registered as a sex offender. He was sentenced in July to serve 55 years in prison for the sex crimes, which involved a 14-year-old.
Joshua D. Chapman-Sexton was convicted of all counts in February. He was on supervised release when he committed the new offenses, which included receipt and possession of child pornography, and was sentenced to 24 years in prison.
In April, Shawn P. Parrish was also convicted of all counts, including receiving and possessing child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced next month.
“Assistant United States Attorneys are the best trial lawyers in the world, and no one performed as much or at a higher level in 2017 than Heather Hill,” Glassman said. “First chairing three jury trials in four months is a remarkable feat, and Ms. Hill’s accomplishment is all the more impressive because the defendants were charged with serious child-exploitation offenses, and she convicted them on every count.”
Outstanding Performance by a Litigative Team – Financial Litigation Unit
Assistant United States Attorney Bethany J. Hamilton, Paralegal Specialists Craig A. Black and Cloteal J. Turner, Legal Assistant Nicole Burczyk and Contract Paralegals Stephanie Crosson and Danielle DeLeon Spires were recognized for collecting more than $261 million in fiscal year 2017 – the highest total in the history of the Southern District of Ohio.
“The Financial Litigation Unit accomplished this new record for our District through 4,322 enforcement activities, close coordination with the Criminal and Civil divisions, and teamwork of the highest order,” Glassman said.
Outstanding Performance in Administration – Karen S. Stocker
As the District’s Budget Officer, Ms. Stocker handled a once-in-a-generation type of transition this past year to a new financial management system that was implemented in each U.S Attorney’s Office across the country.
“Ms. Stocker has been an exemplary Budget Officer for the last decade, and this past year, she not only managed to accommodate within our budget expenses for ambitious investigations and litigation, but she also did so while transitioning to a new national financial management system,” Glassman said. “This transition was among the most significant in many years, but thanks to Ms. Stocker’s diligence and hard work, most litigators in our office probably didn’t even notice.”
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Jury Convicts Columbus Man for Trafficking Crack, CocaineRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A United States District Court jury convicted Deandre Forrest, 39, of Columbus, of seven counts related to the distribution of cocaine and crack and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Trevor Velinor, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs announced the verdict reached today following a three-day trial before Senior U.S. District Judge James L. Graham.
According to court documents and testimony, from October 2016 until June 2017, Forrest conspired to distribute 280 grams or more of crack cocaine and cocaine. Forrest also possessed three revolvers and two pistols, which were used in furtherance of the drug trafficking.
Conspiracy to distribute more than 280 grams or more of crack, and actual distribution of that amount of the drug, are each crimes punishable by 10 years to life in prison.
Distributing cocaine and possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute it are each crimes punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Using a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a mandatory five-year sentence up to life in prison, to be served consecutively to any other sentence.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the ATF and Columbus Division of Police, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys David M. DeVillers and Noah R. Litton, who are representing the United States in this case.
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Paralegal Who Claimed to be Partner Attorney, President of Law Firm on Credit Card Applications Sentenced for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Grady Calhoun, 35, of Hamilton, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 15 months in prison and two years of supervised release for three counts of bank fraud related to making representations as part of his application to obtain credit cards.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jason Hayden, Acting Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, announced the sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black.
According to the Statement of Facts in this case, on three separate occasions, Calhoun made false claims about his occupation and income. During one application process with Chase Bank, he claimed he was a partner and president of a law firm called Serdekor LLC. Serdekor LLC is an Ohio limited liability company that was created and registered by Calhoun; however, Serdekor LLC is not a law firm and the defendant is not a licensed attorney. Rather, Calhoun was employed as a paralegal at a law firm in the Southern District of Ohio.
Calhoun manipulated the payment process to Chase Bank to keep the credit card accounts open as long as possible, and owes nearly $408,000 as a result of this scheme.
He also fraudulently obtained credit card accounts at Barclay’s Bank and applied for other lines of credit with another individual’s social security number. Calhoun owes Barclay’s more than $28,000.
Calhoun pleaded guilty in June, and as part of the plea agreement, Calhoun has agreed to pay the loss amounts to both banks in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the Secret Service and Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Two Cincinnati Individuals Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Sex Trafficking of ChildRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Eric Zyn Ho, 25, and Bryan Mathew Otero, 27, both of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of conspiracy to sex traffic a child. Ho also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Union Township Police Chief Scott Gaviglia and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force announced the pleas entered into today before U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott.
In May, the defendants conspired to harbor a 14-year-old female and caused her to engage in a commercial sex act.
Both defendants were charged by criminal complaint and arrested on May 4 and remain in custody. They were indicted by a federal grand jury in the same month.
Conspiracy to sex traffic children is a crime punishable by up to life in prison. Conspiracy to produce child pornography carries a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison up to 30 years.
Pursuant to the Child Victims’ and Child Witnesses’ Rights Act, specific details of the plea agreements remain under seal.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, including FBI Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Kansas City field offices, and Union Township Police, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey, who is prosecuting the case.
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Pair Charged with Creating Child Pornography of ToddlerRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged two individuals – Ciera Richter, 25, of Cincinnati, and Jason Fletcher, 40, of Franklin, Ohio – with charges related to the selling of a child and creating child pornography in an indictment returned here yesterday afternoon.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Steve Francis, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), announced the charges.
According to court documents, Fletcher was previously convicted by the state of Ohio of importuning a minor, among other crimes. Under the terms of his probation, he was not to possess pornography of any kind.
In May 2017, during a visit with his probation officer, the officer noticed Fletcher had two mobile devices and, after having Fletcher provide access to the devices, started to review the phones’ contents. The probation officer found pornography of a minor female on one of the phones and Fletcher was subsequently arrested.
Search of the phone revealed, among a collection of child pornography, child pornography videos made with the phone. Some of the videos on the phone involve Fletcher, Richter and a two-year-old.
In the videos, Richter helps hold, entertain and position the toddler, while Fletcher records himself sexually abusing the child.
According to the indictment and other court documents, Richter procured a two-year-old for the purpose of making the videos and intended to sell the videos.
“The indictment alleges that Richter provided the toddler to Fletcher with the knowledge that as a consequence of the transfer, the two-year-old would be portrayed in child pornography,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “Offenses like those alleged here are among the most heinous, and most important, that we prosecute. We take seriously our duty and responsibility to keep children safe from those who would prey upon them.”
“Child pornography is the permanent record of a child being sexually exploited, and this victimization continues every time that image is transmitted, downloaded, shared or viewed,” said Steve Francis, Special Agent in Charge of HSI for Michigan and Ohio. “HSI special agents take special pride in their role of seeking justice on behalf of those who have been sexually exploited and victimized.”
Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography and production of child pornography. Those crimes generally carry a potential sentence of 15 to 30 years in prison. Fletcher faces a potential range of 35 years to life in prison, because he has at least two prior state convictions for crimes involving children.
Richter is also charged with one count of selling a child, which is punishable by a range of 30 years to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by HSI and the Warren County Sheriff’s Department, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Megan Gaffney, who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Lawyer Living Lavish Lifestyle Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Scott W. Atway, 44, of Powell, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to filing a false tax return.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, announced the plea entered into today before Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
According to the Statement of Facts in this case, for several years, including 2010 through 2013, Atway owned multiple Verizon Wireless stores in Central Ohio aside from being a self-employed attorney who operated his own law practice. In 2013, he also generated income from a real-estate holding company for his rental properties.
Atway provided incomplete or false documents to his tax-return preparer. He further made false statements to her when asked to justify how he paid for his lifestyle.
During this timeframe, Atway was building and improving upon a luxury home in Powell. He paid more than $800,000 to contractors for additions including an enclosed tennis court, basketball court, in-ground pool, six-car garage and an elevator. These expenses could not have been covered by the amount of taxable income Atway reported to the IRS.
He was also buying high-end cars, including a $99,000 Land Rover, a $50,000 Porsche 911, a $24,000 Lexus IS250, a $71,000 BMW X6 and a nearly $143,000 Audi R8. For these cars, he either received no financing or paid off the loans early, and the income he reported to the dealerships was much greater than what he reported on his tax returns.
For 2010 through 2013, Atway caused a tax loss to the United States of between $250,000 and $1.5 million.
“Scott Atway is well-educated and seemingly a successful businessman, but he chose to lie to the IRS and now he is a convicted felon,” said Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office.
Filing a false tax return is a federal crime punishable by up to three years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Hamilton Township Man Charged with Distributing Child Pornography of Five Year OldRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Jake M. Damron, 25, of Loveland, Ohio, was arrested yesterday and charged with receipt and distribution of child pornography.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Hamilton Township Police Chief Scott Hughes and the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force announced the charge.
Damron was charged by a criminal complaint that was unsealed today at his initial appearance in federal court.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Hamilton Township Police received a report on November 20 that Damron had taken pornographic pictures of a five year old to whom he had access. It was reported that Damron was trading images of the victim for other child pornography via the Kik messenger app.
During an interview with FBI agents, Damron confirmed that he had taken sexually explicit photographs of the five year old. He stated this was the only victim he had photographed and that he had “probably” taken them due to easy access.
Receipt and distribution of child pornography in this case is punishable by a range of five to 20 years in prison.
“I commend the investigation by the FBI and the Hamilton Township Police, particularly the speed with which they were able to act,” said U.S. Attorney Glassman. “This kind of close cooperation between federal and local law enforcement partners helps make urgent action possible.” U.S. Attorney Glassman further commended Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey, who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Franklin County Man Charged with Dealing Heroin, Fentanyl, Cocaine that Resulted in DeathRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has charged David L. Dobbins, 38, of Urbancrest, Ohio, with seven charges related to distributing heroin, fentanyl and cocaine – including distribution that resulted in death – in a superseding indictment returned here today.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Grove City Police Chief Jeffrey A. Pearson announced the charges.
The superseding indictment alleges that in February, Dobbins distributed heroin, cocaine and fentanyl that caused the death of at least one known individual. The victim was found dead at the Star City Inn in Grove City.
Dobbins is also charged with five counts of possession with intent to distribute the controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Dobbins was arrested April 14 and remains in custody. He was charged by an original indictment in October and this superseding indictment adds the charge of distributing heroin, fentanyl and cocaine that resulted in death.
Distributing narcotics that result in death is a federal crime that carries a potential sentence of 20 years to life in prison. Each possession with the intent to distribute count is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Possessing a firearm while committing a drug trafficking crime is punishable by a range of seven years to life in prison, to be served consecutive to any other sentence.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the DEA and Grove City Police, and Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Prichard, who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Steal Greene County Company Client InformationRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Christopher Paul Murphy, 68, of Golden Valley, Ariz., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the plea entered into before U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.
According to the statement of facts in this case, Murphy intentionally attempted to access a protected computer system last month without authorization in an effort to gain information for his own private commercial gain.
Murphy planned to obtain client information of customers of National BiWeekly Mortgage Administration, Inc. (NBA) in Xenia. Murphy wanted to use the information to solicit customers to his own similar business.
The defendant attempted to obtain the information by causing an email containing malware to be sent to an NBA employee. He also provided a thumb drive to an NBA employee and directed that, in the event the malware failed, the employee should download the company’s client lists onto the thumb drive.
Murphy pleaded guilty to one count of intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization, which is a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and Assistant United States Attorney Brent G. Tabacchi, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Cincinnati Man Sentenced to 200 Months for Fentanyl Distribution that Resulted in OverdoseRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Michael Chandler, 29, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 200 months in prison for distributing fentanyl. As part of his sentence, Chandler was also ordered to pay more than $9,000 in restitution to cover the funeral costs for an overdose death that resulted from Chandler’s drug distributing.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett.
This investigation was initiated by the Campbell County, Ky. Drug Task Force and investigated by the Hamilton County Heroin Task Force and Drug Enforcement Administration.
Investigators were alerted on April 20, 2016 to a suspected heroin overdose. According to the statement of facts in this case, the overdose was actually caused by the ingestion of fentanyl, which was traced back to Chandler as the source of supply. The next day, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Chandler.
While executing a search warrant at a residence used by Chandler on Lowell Avenue in Cincinnati, investigators discovered nearly 644 grams of fentanyl, 28 grams of cocaine, a handgun, ammunition and other miscellaneous drug paraphernalia.
Chandler was indicted on the six drug distribution charges in June 2016 and pleaded guilty in May 2017.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the Drug Task Force and Criminal Chief Kenneth L. Parker, who is representing the United States in this case.
The Hamilton County Heroin Task Force was established in early 2015 by the Hamilton County Association of Chiefs of Police for the purpose of investigating all source dealers of heroin and other opiates that lead to overdoses and overdose deaths, and ultimately prosecute the source dealer on applicable State of Ohio and Federal charges. The Hamilton County Heroin Task Force has agents assigned from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Cincinnati Police Division, Amberley Village Police Department, Sharonville Police Department, Blue Ash Police Department, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Cincinnati Resident Office. The Task Force has formal partnerships with the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC), Hamilton County Coroner’s Office, Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office, The Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Attorneys Office in the Southern District of Ohio, Ohio Attorney General’s Office and all 44 police agencies in Hamilton County.
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Second Defendant Sentenced in $3.5 Million Distribution SchemeRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Suraj Patel, 38, of Long Beach, Calif., was sentenced in U.S. District Court today for his role in a $3.5 million scheme involving distribution for Macy’s. As part of his sentence, Patel was ordered to pay approximately $925,000 in restitution to the company.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation and Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett.
Rudy Rampertab, 46, of Ocoee, Fla., was sentenced in July to six months in prison for one count each of mail fraud and money laundering.
According to court documents, Rampertab was an employee of Macy’s from 1988 until 2010. Beginning in 1998, Rampertab managed Macy’s distribution center in Carson, Calif. and supervised the transport of merchandise to centers throughout the country.
Starting in July 2010, Rampertab began diverting the shipment of goods to Patel, who established several shipping companies. Ramptertab obtained approval for Patel’s companies to become third party vendors for Macy’s; however, Rampertab did not disclose his personal connection to the companies, which he helped operate. Rampertab also did not disclose to Macy’s that he personally profited from the operations of these vendors.
Between July and December 2010, Patel’s companies received more than $3.5 million in Macy’s shipping and packaging jobs. After paying expenses, Rampertab and Patel generated more than $900,000 in net profits from the diverted business.
Rampertab and Patel used the proceeds to purchase real estate and vehicles, including a 2010 Aston Martin costing $199,000.
Patel was sentenced to serve one day in prison, followed by six months of home confinement as part of his three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty in September 2016 to mail fraud and money laundering.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the IRS Criminal Investigation and FBI, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Tim Mangan, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Galloway Man Sentenced for Distributing Child Pornography after Recording 12-Year-Old Girl in BathroomRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Justin M. Nickell, 36, of Galloway, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 160 months in prison for distribution of child pornography.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Westerville Police Chief Joseph Morbitzer, Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and other members of the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the sentence handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
According to the Statement of Facts in this case, Nickell communicated with an undercover task force officer posing online as the mother of young children.
During conversation on the Kik Messenger App, Nickell routinely made comments indicating that he wished to engage in sexual activity with the undercover persona’s fictitious children. He also told the officer he secretly recorded a 12-year-old girl in his household getting out of the shower and drying off, and would then masturbate to the video afterwards. Nickell sent a screen shot from one of the videos to the officer. Nickell admitted to hiding his phone in a container in the bathroom under some clothing and also to recording her outside of the bathroom by placing his phone under the door.
On more than one occasion, Nickell sent nude photos of the 12-year-old girl to the undercover officer.
“The nature and circumstances of Nickell’s actions involve an unimaginable violation of trust,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “His offenses, paired with the fact that he stated – in excruciating detail and on multiple occasions – that he wanted to engage in very specific sexual acts with the undercover officer’s young fictitious children, call for significant time in federal prison.”
Nickell was indicted by a federal grand jury in March and pleaded guilty in August.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the Franklin County ICAC and Assistant United States Attorneys Heather A. Hill and Jessica H. Kim, who are representing the United States in this case.
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Final Jewelry Heist Defendant SentencedRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Rasim Ukoja, 51, of Morton Grove, Ill., was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 43 months in prison for robbery.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Trevor Velinor, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
Ukoja was involved in a robbery at Gold Craft Company jewelry store on Sinclair Road in Columbus in July 2014.
According to the Statement of Facts, co-defendant Anthony Persinger was approached by a friend to become involved in the robbery of a diamond seller in Columbus and traveled to Columbus from Chicago with Victor Aloush and Ukoja.
On the afternoon of July 29, 2014, Aloush scheduled a meeting with the store owner to negotiate the purchase of two bags of small diamonds. During the meeting, he opened the locked office door.
Persinger opened the office door and announced, “FBI! Don’t move! Get on the ground.”
Persinger pushed the store owner to the ground and attempted to put him in flex cuffs, but the owner bit Persinger’s finger, ripping off the fingernail. As Ukoja and the other defendants fled the store with approximately $242,000 in diamonds, the owner retrieved his firearm and tried to fire but the safety was engaged. The owner was unable to disengage the safety because Persinger had dislocated his thumb.
The diamonds were transported back to Chicago and Ukoja and others were paid for their roles in the offense.
Ukoja pleaded guilty in May to one count of Hobbs Act robbery. Persinger and Aloush each previously pleaded guilty and have been sentenced.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by ATF and Columbus Police, as well as Assistant United States Attorney David J. Bosley, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Two Men Charged with Theft of More than 70 Firearms from Gun StoresRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged Ronquieze Head, 35, and Seronte Newby, 29, both of Cincinnati, with crimes related to theft from gun stores in Ohio and Kentucky in an indictment returned in Cincinnati.
Specifically, the defendants are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit theft and two counts of theft from a federal firearms licensee. Head is also charged with one count of possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Trevor Velinor, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced the charges.
The indictment alleges that Head and Newby stole approximately 20 firearms from a gun store in Sharonville, Ohio on July 2. On July 8, it is further alleged that the defendants stole approximately 22 firearms from a gun store in Florence, Ky. Finally, according to the indictment, the pair stole approximately 32 weapons from a third gun store in Springboro, Ohio on July 16.
Conspiracy to commit theft, theft from a federal firearms licensee, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a stolen firearm are each crimes punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by ATF and Sharonville, Florence, Springboro and Cincinnati police departments, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Megan Gaffney, who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Anyone having information about these burglaries or the stolen firearms should contact ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (800-283-4867). Individuals may also email [email protected], or contact ATF through its website at www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips. Tips may also be submitted to ATF using the ReportIt® app, available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store, or by visiting www.reportit.com. Tipsters may remain anonymous.
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Cincinnati Men Charged with 9 Robberies at Area UDF Stores, Gas StationsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged Lorenzo Bratcher, 23, and Isaiah Buck, 21, both of Cincinnati, with conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery and use of a firearm during a crime of violence in an indictment returned in Cincinnati. Bratcher was also charged with possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony offense.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Trevor Velinor, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac, Colerain Township Police Chief Mark Denney, Mount Healthy Police Chief Vincent L. Demasi and Norwood Police Chief William Kramer announced the charges.
The indictment alleges that between August 30 and September 6 the defendants committed nine robberies in Cincinnati. They include robberies at the United Dairy Farmers stores on Glenmore, Clifton, Hamilton and Woodford avenues and on Montgomery Road, as well as the Thornton’s Gas Station stores on West Galbraith and West North Bend roads.
Conspiracy to commit robbery is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Use of a firearm during a crime of violence carries a potential sentence of seven years to life, or, in Bratcher’s case, a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison up to life for a second offense. Possessing a firearm as a convicted felon is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by ATF and the local police departments, and Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Springer, who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Athens County Man Convicted for Killing Migratory BirdRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Rick Kesterson, 37, of Glouster, Ohio was sentenced in U.S. District Court for unlawfully killing an Osprey in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, it is unlawful to kill any migratory bird except as allowed by regulation.
Kesterson was sentenced to two years of probation. He was also ordered to pay $500 in restitution to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, forfeit his hunting license, complete 52 hours of community service at Burr Oak State Park and be subject to random house inspections and drug testing.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and officials with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, and Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife and Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced the sentence handed down last week by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
According to court documents, Kesterson was observed striking an Osprey with a pipe after the Osprey was shot out of the air with a shotgun.
In April 2015, ODNR Division of Wildlife received a complaint on the Turn in a Poacher (TIP) hotline reporting the shooting of an Osprey. Eyewitnesses stated they were watching the bird with binoculars when they heard two shots and saw the Osprey fall from the air into a pond.
Kesterson was seen using a fishing line to retrieve the Osprey from the water. Kesterson then struck the Osprey with a stick or pipe and carried it down a dirt road into the woods.
Investigators found the Osprey partially submerged in a creek in the woods.
The following day, during the execution of a search warrant, investigators approached a residence belonging to Kesterson’s parents, in which Kesterson resides in the basement. Despite Kesterson’s mother telling authorities she was the only person home, investigators found Kesterson hiding in his bedroom, lying on the floor between two beds.
The residence was filled heavily with smoke that smelled like marijuana and it was later determined Kesterson saw the officers coming up the driveway and he attempted to burn a handful of marijuana in a wood burning stove with a propane torch. Investigators also found live marijuana plants, a large amount of marijuana drying and grow lights throughout the residence.
The Athens County Sheriff’s Office, Major Crimes Unit, obtained a separate search warrant for the narcotics and handled that aspect of this matter.
Kesterson was charged by criminal complaint in January 2017 and indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2017. He pleaded no contest to the charge today in federal court, and Judge Marbley found him guilty.
“This case came to fruition thanks to a call to 1-800-POACHER,” U.S Attorney Glassman said. “We encourage residents of the Southern District of Ohio to continue to report the illegal killing of wildlife so that we may hold individuals like Kesterson accountable for their actions.”
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by U.S. Fish and Wildlife and Ohio Department of Natural Resources, as well as Assistant United States Attorney J. Michael Marous and Special Assistant United States Attorney Heather Robinson who represented the United States in this case.
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Transportation Recruiter Charged with Defrauding Employers out of Half Million DollarsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has charged John E. Kelly, 62, of Columbus, with defrauding two employers out of approximately half a million dollars in an indictment returned here last week that was unsealed today.
Kelly was arrested yesterday in North Carolina by federal agents and will be transported to Columbus for future court proceedings.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Criminal Investigation, Angela L. Byers, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division and Christopher White, Assistant Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, announced the charges.
The indictment alleges that Kelly created and maintained a pair of sham business entities for the purpose of billing fake advertising invoices.
Beginning in February 2014, Kelly was employed as the Director of Driver Recruiting for CEVA Logistics, a supply chain company headquartered in Houston, Texas. The next year, he was employed in a similar role as Director of Fleet Recruitment for Container Port Group, Inc., headquartered in Cleveland. In both roles, Kelly was able to set up new advertising vendors for payment through his direct-report employees.
While employed at CEVA, Kelly allegedly had an employee add one of his fake businesses as an approved advertising vendor in CEVA’s accounting system. Kelly also allegedly created a fictitious alias – “Jess” – on behalf of the bogus advertising business.
“The indictment alleges that Kelly sent fraudulent advertising invoices from Jess’s email address to his own CEVA email address for advertising that did not exist,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “He’d then have CEVA mail the payment checks to a mailbox he established at a Pak Mail Store in Lewis Center.”
In total, Kelly allegedly created and submitted roughly 65 fraudulent advertising invoices to CEVA, tallying nearly $488,000.
Once employed at Container Port Group, it is alleged that Kelly continued the scheme by having an employee add a second sham business venture as an approved advertising vendor in the company’s accounting system.
He allegedly created a second alias – “Linda Rowe” – to communicate with himself and create fictitious advertising invoices.
Kelly allegedly created 13 false invoices through the scheme at Container Port Group and billed the business approximately $35,500. According to the indictment, he instructed his house cleaner to establish a pair of mailboxes on behalf of the second sham business at a UPS store in Delaware, Ohio.
Kelly also allegedly attempted to conceal his true and accurate income from the IRS in calendar years 2014 and 2015. It is calculated that Kelly owes more than $155,000 in taxes.
Kelly is charged with eight counts of mail fraud, eight counts of money laundering and two counts of tax evasion. Mail fraud is a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison; money laundering carries a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and tax evasion is a crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
“John Kelly held very important positions in businesses that placed their trust in him, and he allegedly abused their trust by creating fake business and lining his own pockets with stolen advertising dollars,” said Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI and USPIS, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Noah Litton, who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Cincinnati Man Sentenced for Promoting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI –James Denney, 30, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 36 months in prison for aiding and abetting another individual in accessing child pornography.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Steve Francis, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott.
Denney was charged by indictment in January for knowingly promoting a URL on the Dark Web containing child pornography.
According to investigators, Denney provided an undercover agent with web links to an online board featuring dozens of links to child pornography chat rooms, video/image board sites, as well as “community” support groups and online security advice for child pornographers.
Denney pleaded guilty in May. According to the Statement of Facts filed in support of his plea agreement, Denney used the Kik Messenger app to provide the undercover officer guidance on how to download and use a TOR web browser for the purpose of concealing online activities from law enforcement and others.
While communicating with the officer, Denney personally recommended sections of the online board including “Hurt Core” and “Toddler Videos.” Such images were of – among other things – toddlers and pre-teens being bound and raped by adults who represented themselves as parents of those children.
Denney was also sentenced today to eight years of supervised release, and he must also register as a sex offender and comply with state and federal laws regarding sex offenders.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by HSI, and Assistant United States Attorney Karl P. Kadon, who is prosecuting the case.
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Brookville Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child Pornography through Kik Messenger AppRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Zachery Van Meter, 21, of Brookville, Ohio, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to receiving child pornography.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Preble County Sheriff Michael L. Simpson and Perry Township Police Chief Bob Bowman announced the plea entered into before U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose.
According to court documents, Van Meter created a Kik messenger app account in July 2016. From that time until February 2017, Van Meter used Kik to receive images of child pornography from others and to communicate with others about the sexual exploitation of children.
During the course of these conversations, Van Meter took at least 15 photographs of clothed juveniles who were known to the defendant and sent these photographs to others in an effort to receive more child pornography files.
Van Meter received at least 30 sexually explicit photographs of children, including at least one that portrayed sadistic and/or masochistic conduct involving the binding of a child’s arms and legs by black material to a hook on the floor.
Receipt of child pornography is a federal crime punishable by a range of five to 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, Preble County Sheriff’s Office and Perry Township Police Department, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Dominick S. Gerace, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Five Individuals Charged in Foreign Bribery Scheme Involving Rolls-Royce Plc and Its U.S. SubsidiaryRead the Press Release
Charges were unsealed today against two former executives of Rolls-Royce plc and its subsidiaries (Rolls-Royce), a former Rolls-Royce employee, a former intermediary for Rolls-Royce in Kazakhstan and an executive of an international engineering consulting firm – all for their alleged participation in a scheme to pay bribes to foreign government officials for the benefit of a U.S.-based Rolls-Royce subsidiary, including to secure a contract to supply equipment and services to power a gas pipeline from Central Asia to China.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman of the Southern District of Ohio, Inspector in Charge Regina Faulkerson of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Criminal Investigations Group, Assistant Director Stephen E. Richardson of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division and Assistant Director in Charge Andrew W. Vale of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Petros Contoguris, 70, a citizen of Greece residing in Turkey, was charged by an indictment filed in the Southern District of Ohio on Oct. 12, and unsealed today, with one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), one count of conspiracy to launder money, seven counts of violating the FCPA and 10 counts of money laundering. Contoguris is believed to be outside of the United States. James Finley, 66, a citizen of the United Kingdom residing in Taiwan, pleaded guilty on July 28, before Chief Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr. of the Southern District of Ohio, to one count of conspiracy to violate the FCPA and one count of violating the FCPA. Aloysius Johannes Jozef Zuurhout, 53, of the Netherlands; Andreas Kohler, 53, of Austria; and Keith Barnett, 48, of Houston, Texas, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the FCPA before Chief Judge Sargus on June 13; June 6; and Dec. 20, 2016, respectively.
“The charges announced today against executives, employees, and third parties affiliated with Rolls-Royce, is another example of the Criminal Division’s commitment to holding individuals – and not just corporations – accountable for violating the FCPA,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Blanco. “Thanks to the coordinated efforts by our prosecutors and agents – working closely with their counterparts in Brazil and at the United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office, among others – these defendants, many of whom reside overseas, will face justice in this case, which represents another important step towards leveling the playing field for all ethical and honest businesses.”
“The charges unsealed today reflect the determination and ability of the United States to investigate and prosecute individuals who engage in foreign corrupt business practices, regardless of how sophisticated or far-flung the scheme may be,” said U.S. Attorney Glassman. “We can and will follow the evidence wherever it leads – from Columbus to Kazakhstan and beyond.”
“This type of sophisticated fraud scheme can cause immeasurable economic losses to competitive markets around the world,” said Inspector in Charge Faulkerson. “Anyone who engages in deceptive practices should know they will not go undetected and will be held accountable. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has an extensive history of successfully investigating complex fraud and corruption cases. The collaborative investigative work conducted by Postal Inspectors and our domestic and international law enforcement partners illustrates our efforts to protect the United States and the international marketplace.”
“Today’s indictment and guilty pleas reveal that those associated with this corruption did knowingly conspire to break the law for their own personal gain,” said Assistant Director Richardson. “No one is above the law, so let today’s announcement be a warning to those who may try to perpetrate a similar scheme that the FBI will aggressively pursue those who attempt to bribe foreign officials for an unfair advantage in the global marketplace.”
“Today’s charges demonstrate the immense capabilities of the FBI’s Washington Field Office international corruption program and the global impact of the anti-corruption program,” said Assistant Director in Charge Vale. “The FBI is committed to holding accountable those who disrupt the level playing field to which companies in the United States and around the world are entitled.”
According to the indictment and informations unsealed today, Contoguris, the founder and chief executive officer of Gravitas & CIE. International Ltd. (Gravitas); Finley, a former senior executive in energy at Rolls-Royce; Barnett, a former regional director in energy at Rolls-Royce; Zuurhout, a former energy sales employee at Rolls-Royce; and Kohler, a managing director at an international engineering and consulting firm, and others, allegedly conspired to pay bribes to foreign officials in exchange for directing business to Rolls-Royce Energy Systems Inc. (RRESI). RRESI was a U.S.-based indirect subsidiary of Rolls-Royce plc, the United Kingdom-based manufacturer and distributor of power systems for the aerospace, defense, marine and energy sectors.
The indictment alleges that Contoguris, working with employees of an international engineering consulting firm (Technical Advisor), including Kohler, devised a scheme with Rolls-Royce executives and employees, including Zuurhout, Barnett and Finley, whereby Rolls-Royce would pay kickbacks to the Technical Advisor employees, and bribes to at least one foreign official, and disguise these payments as commissions to Contoguris’s company, Gravitas, in exchange for helping Rolls-Royce win contracts with Asia Gas Pipeline LLP (AGP).
According to the indictment, AGP was created to build and connect a gas pipeline between Central Asia and China, and the Technical Advisor purported to provide independent engineering consulting advice and other services to AGP. The indictment further alleges that after AGP awarded Rolls-Royce a contract in November 2009, worth approximately $145 million, Rolls-Royce made commission payments to Gravitas, and Contoguris then passed a portion of those commission payments onto the Technical Advisor employees knowing that they would share that money with a foreign official consistent with their corrupt agreement.
In pleading guilty, Finley, Barnett and Zuurhout admitted that they each participated in a conspiracy, going as far back as approximately 1999 and continuing into 2013, to engage commercial advisors who would use their commission payments from Rolls-Royce to bribe foreign officials in a number of countries to help Rolls-Royce secure an improper advantage and obtain and retain business with foreign governments and instrumentalities across the globe.
The charges announced today follow the announcement on Jan. 17, of a deferred prosecution agreement with Rolls-Royce plc and a more than $800 million total penalty as part of a global resolution to investigations by the Department of Justice and U.K. and Brazilian authorities related to the corrupt conduct. The agreement acknowledged Rolls-Royce’s cooperation in this case, including with the Department’s investigation into individuals, and significant remedial measures.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the FBI’s International Corruption Squad in Washington, D.C., investigated the case. In 2015, the FBI formed International Corruption Squads across the country to address national and international implications of foreign corruption. Trial Attorneys Kevin R. Gingras and Vanessa Snyder and Assistant Chief Ephraim Wernick of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Marous and Jessica Kim of the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this matter. The United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office provided significant cooperation and assistance in this matter, as did law enforcement colleagues in Brazil, which both coordinated with the Department to reach simultaneous resolutions with Rolls-Royce. The Department also thanks its law enforcement colleagues in Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore and Turkey.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Former Assistant Prosecutor Charged with Tax Fraud, Theft of Government MoneyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has charged Michael (also known as Mickey) A. Prisley, 52, of Columbus, and Tawnya Writesel, also known as Tawnya Rutan, 38, of Columbus, with eight charges related to fraudulent tax claims and theft of government money in an indictment returned here Thursday and unsealed today.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue System (IRS) Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Division, announced the charges.
The indictment alleges that Prisley and Writesel, along with others, conspired to submit false claims for income tax refunds.
Writesel would allegedly obtain the identification details of real people, including their names, social security numbers and dates of birth. Those individuals were then claimed as dependents, even though they were not actually dependents of the filers.
“Prisley allegedly received the tax refund checks into his bank accounts and then withdrew cash in order to pay his co-conspirators their shares,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “He received drugs and controlled substances in exchange for cashing the refund checks.”
It is also alleged that he provided others with false power of attorney forms so that his co-conspirators could cash fraudulently obtained tax refund checks without the listed taxpayer’s knowledge.
Prisley is a former assistant prosecuting attorney for Athens County.
“It is unfortunate that someone who was trusted to prosecute criminals is now on the other side of the table facing his own criminal allegations,” said Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office.
According to court documents, the defendants filed approximately 167 false and fictitious tax returns in order to obtain fraudulent refunds totaling roughly $901,500.
Co-defendants Amy K. France and Denard T. Nelson were also charged in relation to this case. France pleaded guilty in June 2016 to one count of conspiracy to submit false claims and one count of identity theft and was sentenced in January to 37 months in prison. France was also ordered to pay nearly $467,000 in restitution.
Nelson pleaded guilty in September 2015 to one count of identity theft and was sentenced in May 2016 to five years of probation. He was also ordered to pay more than $87,000 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the IRS Criminal Investigation, and Assistant United States Attorney Jessica H. Kim, who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Meigs County Banker Sentenced for Stealing More Than $300,000 from Bank ATMRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Bobbie A. Holter, 53, of Racine, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 12 months in prison and six months of home confinement for theft by a bank employee.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence handed down today by Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
According to court documents, Holter was an employee of The Citizens Bank of Logan in Athens, Ohio for approximately 10 years until her termination in February 2014. Holter served as Branch Manager and Teller Supervisor at the Walmart and Stimson Avenue branches.
A surprise audit was performed at the Walmart branch after a discrepancy in the ATM was discovered by a bank operations specialist. The audit showed that reports filed by Holter in the normal course of her duties prior to the audit did not match the amount of $20 bills dispensed by the ATM for various days.
Security footage for those days depicted Holter coming into the bank alone before the branch opened, removing the cash cassette from the ATM and then replacing it. Surveillance showed Holter conducting at least 24 such exchanges – each time alone, in the dark and before bank hours.
In total, a more thorough audit discovered 60 cash shortages totaling $318,400.
When she was interviewed by bank officials, Holter initially denied taking any money, but eventually said she was threatened and coerced into taking the money by a former supervisor who had sexually harassed and choked her. Further investigation by the FBI found no evidence to support this claim.
One week after being interviewed, Holter contacted bank officials and told them she found a bag of money at the end of her driveway. She met with the officials and turned over a bag containing $81,360 in $20 bills.
FBI forensic accountants conducted a financial analysis of Holter’s finances, taking into account all known sources of funds and known use of funds and determined her spending exceeded her income by nearly $150,000 for the period of time they examined.
Holter used money orders totaling nearly $43,000 to pay off her mortgage and deposited money orders into her bank accounts reportedly from the sale of puppies to individuals around the country. Research on the addresses of 15 of the puppy sales money orders revealed that 14 contained fictional addresses.
Holter pleaded guilty to one count of theft by a bank officer in April 2017. As part of her plea agreement, she has agreed to pay full restitution.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the bank officers and the FBI, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan J.C. Grey, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Manager Charged with Defrauding Two Celebrity Clients in Relation to OXYwater CaseRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has charged Kevin R. Foster, 42, of Montclair, N.J. with charges related to a fraud scheme in a superseding indictment returned here today.
Foster was charged in an original, seven-count indictment in July 2016. This superseding indictment contains 10 counts – including additional wire fraud, money laundering and bankruptcy fraud charges – as well as a second victim.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, and Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the new charges.
This case stems from the prior prosecution of Thomas E. Jackson and Preston J. Harrison, who raised approximately $9 million from investors under false pretenses to start and market the sports beverage “OXYwater.” The two were convicted by a federal jury in March 2015 of multiple wire fraud, money laundering and tax fraud charges.
The charges against Foster allege that he, as the principal of his management/accounting firm, Foster & Firm, Inc., and as business manager for Shaffer Smith (“Ne-Yo”), induced Smith to invest $2 million into OXYwater under false representations.
Foster served as an officer or controller of Imperial Integrative Health Research & Development, LLC in Westerville, Ohio with Jackson and Harrison. Foster did not disclose that he served as a controller for the company or that he would earn commission based on investments.
Unbeknownst to Smith, Foster allegedly invested an additional $1.5 million of Smith’s money into the product without his consent and fraudulently took out $1.4 million in lines of credit under Smith’s name by forging his signature. It is alleged that Foster received approximately $250,000 in finder’s fees based on Smith’s investments into OXYwater and that Foster received additional money as a result of the unauthorized investments.
The superseding indictment also alleges that Foster defrauded a second celebrity client, Brian McKnight, as a way to secure money to help keep Imperial solvent.
“McKnight agreed to invest in the company, not knowing that Foster served as an officer/controller of Imperial,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “Foster allegedly withdrew more money from McKnight’s account than he had authorized, and failed to invest any of the money, but rather transferred it to one of Imperial’s business associates in order to help keep the business afloat.”
Foster also allegedly lied about disclosing the kickbacks during a deposition in Bankruptcy Court.
Foster was charged in the superseding indictment with four counts of wire fraud, five counts of money laundering and one count of bankruptcy fraud. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, money laundering is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and bankruptcy fraud is punishable by up to five years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the IRS Criminal Investigation and FBI, and Assistant United States Attorney Jessica H. Kim and Department of Justice Tax Division Trial Attorney Jason M. Scheff, who are prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Canadian Man Sentenced to 96 Months for Possessing 290 Pounds of CocaineRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sylvain Desjardins, 48, of Maribel, Canada, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 96 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possessing 290 pounds of cocaine in a plane that went down near Athens, Ohio on March 29.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
Law enforcement and other agencies involved in this case include: Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, Ohio University Police Department, the Ohio University Airport, Athens County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Program, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Attaché Office Montreal, Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada Border Services Agency and Service de Police del la Ville de Montreal.
Desjardins and David Ayotte, 46, also of Maribel, Canada, pleaded guilty in May to one count of possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.
Ayotte was sentenced to 63 months in prison and three years of supervised release on October 12.
According to the Statement of Facts filed in this case, on March 29, 2017, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations center official in Riverside, Calif. detected an aircraft that departed from the Bahamas and was traveling to Windsor, Ontario, Canada but had diverted to Gordon K. Bush Airport at Ohio University.
The official contacted the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, who, along with agents from HSI, executed a search warrant on the plane upon arrival. While doing so, investigators discovered approximately 132 kilograms or 290 pounds of cocaine.
Desjardins was the pilot and Ayotte was his passenger. The two men intended on flying the cocaine to Canada to then distribute, but discovered that the plane was having mechanical issues.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation of this case by law enforcement, as well as Deputy Criminal Chief Michael J. Hunter, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Columbus Woman Pleads Guilty to Gun, Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Temesia A. Green, 44, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to three drug and gun charges.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Trevor Velinor, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs announced the plea entered into before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
Green pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to the Statement of Facts in this case, Green used her residence on Whitethorn Avenue in Columbus to sell heroin. She agreed with other individuals to bring heroin into the home and acquired firearms to protect the heroin and the proceeds from the sale of the drug.
Numerous regular customers would come to Green’s home to buy and use heroin, and Green also supplied individuals with the narcotic to sell outside the residence.
In January 2017, when Columbus Police officers executed a search warrant at the residence, they discovered five handguns, at least three of which were reported stolen. Green had two loaded handguns in her purse; her juvenile son had a loaded pistol and two other handguns were located in the home. They also found more than eight grams of heroin in the home.
Subsequent search warrants executed by ATF at the residence uncovered 92 pill capsules filled with heroin and fentanyl, 40 grams of marijuana, 40 oxycodone pills, 17 Xanax pills and eight additional loaded handguns.
Green had previously been convicted in 1995 in Franklin County Common Pleas Court of attempted robbery.
Conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin is a crime punishable by a range of 10 years to life in prison. Using a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a potential sentence of five years to life in prison, to be served consecutively to other sentences. Possessing a firearm after being convicted with a felony is a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by ATF and Columbus Police, and Assistant United States Attorneys David M. DeVillers and Jessica W. Knight, who are representing the United States in this case.
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Westerville Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening CongressmanRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – E. Stanley Hoff, 68, of Westerville, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to one count of threatening to assault and murder a United States official.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and the United States Capitol Police announced the plea entered into before U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
Hoff was indicted by a federal grand jury in July, and, according to court documents, threatened to assault and murder U.S Representative Steve Stivers and a member of Stivers’ family. Hoff left a threatening voice mail on Rep. Stivers’ Hilliard office phone.
Hoff was arrested on June 21, when he was charged by a criminal complaint. He is being held without bond.
Threatening to assault and murder a United States official is a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the U.S. Capitol Police and Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Kelley and Noah Litton, who are prosecuting the case.
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Local Man Sentenced to 197 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine from Los Angeles to DaytonRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Aaron Brown, 34, of Dayton, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 197 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), announced the sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black.
According to the Statement of Facts in this case, Brown recruited at least two individuals to assist him with trafficking cocaine by having the individuals drive from Dayton to Los Angeles, Calif. with cash. Brown would fly to Los Angeles and meet the individuals to obtain the cash. He then used the money to purchase cocaine and would conceal it in the vehicles of the individuals, who would then drive it back to Dayton.
Brown and the co-conspirators would meet up again in Dayton in order for Brown to obtain the cocaine and distribute it to local customers in the Dayton area.
Brown pleaded guilty in February 2016 to one count of conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the DEA, including DEA Las Vegas and Flagstaff, Nevada Highway Patrol and Navajo County Sheriff’s Office in Ariz., as well as Assistant United States Attorney Sheila G. Lafferty, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Columbus Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Kidnap Man After Cocaine Sale FailedRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Citlaly Casillas, 22, of Columbus, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to commit kidnapping following a failed drug transaction.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Gahanna Police Chief Dennis Murphy and Westerville Police Chief Joseph Morbitzer announced the plea offered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King.
According to the Statement of Facts in this case, Casillas and co-defendant William Hernandez Castillo conspired to kidnap an individual from April 4 through April 7.
In March, the individual told Casillas that an associate of his wanted to buy one kilogram of cocaine. Casillas and Hernandez agreed and intended to sell the cocaine for more than $30,000.
When the time came to complete the transaction on April 4, the associate took the cocaine without paying.
Hernandez then called the owner of the drugs, who was in Mexico, to discuss how to respond. The owner of the drugs told Hernandez to hold the individual responsible for his associate. The owner said if he did not receive the drugs or the money, he would send enforcers to deal with the individual and his family.
Following the phone call, Hernandez told the individual that he had to come with Hernandez and Casillas.
From April 4 through April 7, Hernandez and Casillas seized, confined and kidnapped the victim for ransom at their Columbus residence. Hernandez told the victim that people from Mexico would harm his family if the drug owner did not receive the drugs or money.
“During his confinement, Casillas told the victim stories of a 2015 fatal shooting at La Michoacana market in Columbus in order to scare him and keep him from leaving the residence,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “She joked that Hernandez would cut off one of the victim’s fingers if he left.”
After contacting his girlfriend and mother, the victim was driven by Hernandez on April 7 to a location in Columbus, where they believed ransom money was waiting. When the victim arrived at the drop location, law enforcement secured him.
Casillas was arrested during the execution of a search warrant at her residence on April 17. Hernandez was arrested the same day, and the two have remained in custody since.
Conspiracy to commit kidnapping is a crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
Hernandez has also signed a plea agreement agreeing to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping. His hearing to formally plead guilty has not yet been scheduled.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, DEA, Gahanna Police and Westerville Police, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Central Ohio Man Sentenced to 204 Months for Creating Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jason E. Hoar, 32, of Reynoldsburg and Pickerington, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 204 months in prison and 20 years of supervised release for producing child pornography.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Westerville Police Chief Joseph Morbitzer and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force announced the sentence handed down today by Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
Hoar had admitted that he created child pornography and, in August 2016, communicated with an undercover detective via Kik messenger.
The undercover officer had posted online bulletin messages on specific social media forums that are frequented by individuals who have a sexual interest in children. Hoar sent the detective explicit photos of minor females to whom he had access.
This information was subsequently sent to the FBI in Columbus and a task force officer there reached out to Hoar in an undercover capacity providing information about an undercover profile on social media.
Hoar responded to the task force officer and again provided details of his sexual interests in babies and children.
Hoar told the officer that “girls shower pics” were some of his “favs” and that he had discussed “installing a hidden camera.” Hoar recorded prepubescent females in the bathtub, whom were unaware of the video recording, and sent it to the undercover officer.
Hoar told undercover officers that letting ‘guys jack off to pics’ of children he photographed was ‘sorta harmless.’
“In no way is this behavior harmless,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “Producing child pornography creates trauma for victims that they often have to relive for the rest of their lives as images of their abuse are shared time and again.”
Hoar pleaded guilty in April to one count of production of child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Heather A. Hill and Jonathan J.C. Grey, who are representing the United States in this case.
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Students Take Pledge Against Gun Violence with U.S. Attorney, Police ChiefRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman and Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac united with middle school students this morning in taking a stand against violence.
The law enforcement officials joined a sixth grade class at Ethel M. Taylor Academy in signing a voluntary pledge promising that they will never take a gun to school, will never resolve a dispute with a gun and will use their influence to prevent friends from using guns to resolve disputes.
In coordination with the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program, the Student Pledge Against Gun Violence is a national program that recognizes the role that young people, through their own decisions, can play in reducing gun violence. This campaign against youth gun violence culminates each October in a Day of National Concern about Young People and Gun Violence. Students from around the country join together in pledging to do their part to end gun violence. More than 10 million students nationwide have signed the pledge since its inception in 1996.
2017 marks the inaugural year for the initiative in the Southern District of Ohio, and U.S. Attorney Glassman has invited schools throughout the entire District to participate.
“The pledge is right: individual choices and actions, when multiplied by young people throughout the Southern District of Ohio and across the country, will make a difference,” Glassman said. “I’m proud to partner with Cincinnati Public Schools and the Cincinnati Police Department in working to prevent violence. Most of all, I’m proud of the students who took the pledge today and who will honor it going forward. They are the key to a better future for all of us.”
“I was truly inspired from our time with these amazing sixth graders in taking the pledge to make their communities, their city, and their country a safe place,” said Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac. “Fighting gun violence is of one of Cincinnati Police Department’s highest priorities and we are working strategically with our local and federal partners as well as Cincinnati Public Schools to end the senseless violence in our City. One the best ways we can start to do that is by working with and educating our youth on the effects of violence.”
If your school would like to participate in the pledge, contact Jennifer Thornton at [email protected].
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Call to Action to Join National Day of Non-ViolenceRead the Press Release
I remember prosecuting a gun case not long after becoming a federal prosecutor in 2005 and thinking about how, at some point, the individual across the courtroom had decided that violence was the best way to settle a dispute. He illegally used a gun to address a personal problem, just like he had seen so many others around him do throughout his life.
It’s my job, as the chief federal law enforcement official for my district, to help decrease violent crime. We do that, in part, by vigorously prosecuting illegal, habitual gun possession and use to the fullest extent of the law. Removing people who cause violence from our streets makes everyone safer. I believe in that work, and I, along with my Assistant United States Attorneys, will continue to pursue that work wholeheartedly.
Facing an offender across a courtroom, however, means that we’ve already lost in so many ways.
It means the defendant’s community has already been terrorized by violence. It means the defendant has given up opportunities to thrive and to meet his potential in a productive way. It means families will be split apart as a loved one serves years—possibly the rest of his life—in federal prison.
Making our communities safe requires more than robust enforcement after crimes have already been committed. We must—as law enforcement officials and especially as members of the community—care about preventing and deterring violent crime as much as we care about reacting to it.
That is why I’m asking educators, parents, and, most importantly, students all over Southern Ohio to take a stand with me on October 18 against gun violence.
October 18 marks the 21st annual Day of National Concern about Young People and Gun Violence. Since 1996, more than 10 million students have signed a pledge committing to non-violence.
The pledge is pretty straightforward. Never use a gun to settle a dispute. Influence your friends to do the same.
Individual choices and actions, when multiplied by those of young people throughout our state and the nation, will make a difference. Together, by honoring this pledge, more young people can grow up in safety.
I don’t want to face any more young people in the courtroom who, at some point, decided that violence was the best way to handle a dispute and picked up a gun.
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Lead Defendant Sentenced to 288 Months in Steubenville Heroin Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Frederick A. McShan, 37, of Steubenville, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. Distirct Court to 288 months in prison for his role in running a Steubenville-area heroin-trafficking ring.
McShan and his brother, David McShan, 39, were each convicted following a weeklong jury trial in March.
Specifically, Frederick McShan was convicted of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin, 12 counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. David McShan was also convicted of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin.
David McShan was sentenced on August 31 to 74 months in prison and eight years of supervised release.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Jefferson County Prosecutor Jane M. Hanlin and members of the Jefferson County Drug Task Force and the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force announced the sentence handed down today by Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
According to court documents and testimony, the McShan brothers helped lead a drug organization that was responsible for street-level heroin sales in Steubenville, Ohio, including in the Market Street apartment public housing area, Weirton, W.Va., Wheeling, W.Va. and Bellaire, Ohio.
A yearlong investigation in this case by local, state and federal law enforcement culminated in the seizure of eight firearms, three vehicles and approximately $110,000 of narcotics proceeds.
Seven co-defendants in this case have pleaded guilty and been sentenced. They include:
Donae F. Grier, 38, of Irving, Texas, who was sentenced to 60 months in prison;
Christopher J. Bishop, 32, of Weirton, W.Va., who was sentenced to 120 months in prison;
Kerris D. Moncrease, 32, of Weirton, W.Va., who was sentenced to 42 months in prison;
Perrier D. Coleman, 21, of Steubenville, Ohio, who was sentenced to 15 months in prison;
Terrence L. Smith, 27, of Steubenville, Ohio, who was sentenced to 87 months in prison;
Michael K. Greathouse, 25, of Steubenville, Ohio, who was sentenced to 100 months in prison and
Erica L. Jury, 37, of Steubenville, Ohio, who was sentenced to time served.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative efforts of law enforcement, as well as Deputy Criminal Chief Michael Hunter, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jane M. Hanlin who are prosecuting the case.
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Columbus 'Pimp' Sentenced for Trafficking WomenRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Lerenzo M. White, aka “Justice” and “Justin,” 31, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 180 months in prison and release supervision for life for sex trafficking women through force, fraud or coercion.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and members of the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, including Steve Francis, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien, Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs and Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
White pleaded guilty in May to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.
According to the Statement of Facts in this case, undercover officers conducted a prostitution sting operation at a Crowne Plaza Hotel in Columbus on June 4, 2014. While conducting the operation, officers observed White drop off two females at the hotel for the purpose of exchanging sexual acts for money.
In August of 2015, one of the females made a report of domestic violence against White to the Columbus Division of Police. She stated she had worked for White since the spring of 2014 and was beaten and choked on the few occasions she had indicated she did not want to engage in prostitution. White frequently beat her for other reasons, she was fearful of White, and White maintained all the money that she made.
White used Backpage.com to create prostitution advertisements of the victim. Further investigation of his activity on the website confirmed numerous other adult females had worked as prostitutes for White.
Three of those females stated White had been physically violent towards them. An additional female stated she stayed with White and worked for him for several months because she was addicted to heroin and White provided her with the drug; however, White would not permit her to obtain any heroin until she had made a certain “quota” through prostitution activities.
“White forced women to engage in prostitution through physical force or controlling them with drugs,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “He controlled where they lived, where they went, and their contact with the outside world. If one escaped, he would find another to victimize. We must remember that adult women can be victims, too, and bring to justice abusers like White, who exploit victims for their own gain.”
“HSI has a vast investigative portfolio of crimes, but the trafficking of women is among the most sinister and must be met with swift action by law enforcement,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Francis. “HSI along with our partners will continue to aggressively investigate cases such as these to identify and rescue its innocent victims.”
“This case proves just how serious state, federal, and local authorities are about putting a stop to human trafficking in Ohio,” said Attorney General DeWine. “The investigation found that this defendant forced women into the sex trade against their will. This is modern day slavery, and those who commit this heinous crime will be held accountable.”
U.S. Attorney Glassman by the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, which is part of the Ohio Attorney General’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, and includes authorities from U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, Columbus Division of Police, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office, the Delaware County Prosecutor's Office, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and Powel Police Department, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather A. Hill and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer M. Rausch, Director of the Franklin County Special Victims Unit, who are prosecuting the case.
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